Trolley-switching device.



I F. w. GARRETT. I TROLLEY SWITCHING DEVICE.

(Application filed Dec, 3, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

ATTORNEY.

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No. 683,927. Patented: Dot. ,8, I90].

- F. W; GARRETT.

TBOLLEY' swlercuma DEVICE.

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NITED A STATES ATENT FFICE.

FRANK IV. GARRETT, OF JOHNSTOl/VN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY-SWITCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,927, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed December 3, 1900. Serial No. 38,421. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK W. GARRETT, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Im provement i-n 'lrolley-Switchin g Devices, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

[0 My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in electric railways of the overhead-system type, and is designed to provide means of simple and eflicient character under the control of the motorman whereby the trolley-wheel may be diverted or deflected from one conductor to another when the car passes onto a branch track or turnout.

To this end my invention consists in the combinatiomwith a trolley-pole and a pivotal base to which it is attached, of means under the control of the motorman whereby said base may be turned on its pivot to change the angular relation of the trolley-wheel sufliciently with respect to the conductor on which it has been traveling to divert or deflect it into position to cause it to take a branch conductor; also, in the combination, with means of this character, of means in connection with 0 the main and branching conductor whereby the trolley-wheel is free to move laterally a limited distance into line with the branch conductor when the base is moved in the manner described.

structlon and combination of parts,all as hereinat'ter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is 0 a plan view, largely diagrammatic, illustratingone form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the same applied to a car. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a modification. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of one form of guide and connecting plate, and Fig. 5 is a similar view of a 'diiterent form of such plate.

In the drawings the letter A designates a trolley-base, B a trolley-pole attached to the said 1base, and Othe usual grooved trolleyw ee My invention also consists in the novel con-' D designates a main-line track, D a righthand turnout or branch track, and D a lefthand turnout or branch track. These two turnouts orbranch tracks are for convenience 5 5 of illustration shown as leaving the main track at the same point; but it is immaterial to my invention (except as to the form of guideplate required for the trolley-wheel, as hereinafter described) how they are located or Whether there are turnouts or branches in more than one direction.

E is the main-line overhead conductor and E and E are the branch conductors for the respective branch tracks and connected to the main conductor by a plate F, which is interposed in said main conductor to form a short section thereof. This plate has depending lateral guard-flanges f, which converge toward the narrower end of the plate to form a throat or entrance for the trolleywheel. It is also provided with a central depending guide-ribf, which,however,does not extend entirelyinto the said throat. Where there is but a single branch track or turnout, this plate is modified to the form shown in Fig. 5.

The trolley-base A is a pivotal basethat is to say, the bracket A, to which the pole is pivoted, is mounted in its support on the top of the car to rotate in a horizontal plane. The particular base shown in the drawings is similar to that described and claimed in the application for patent filed jointly by F.

A. Merrick and myself August 16, 1900, Serial No. 27,052; but this is for the purpose of illustration only, as any suitable form of rotary base may be employed.

It is obvious that if at the time the trolleywheel 0 is about to enter the narrow end 0 of the plate F, in which it has room for a limited angular lateral movement, the base A be somewhat rotated in the proper direction, said wheel will be diverted from the line of the main conductor and turned into position to take one of the branch conductors. My invention provides means whereby this can be readily accomplished by the motorman. This can be done either by mechanical or electromagnetic agencies, either 'of which is Within the scope of my invention.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I employ electromagnets I I, which are secured to a suitable support on the roof of the car, one near each end of the pivotal bracket A, with its poles adjacent to the end portion Ct thereof, which is of magnetic metal. These magnets are respectively. wound with the coils J J.

The energization of the magnets is controlled by a switch, which may be located in the car-vestibule or on the platform conveniently to the motorman. The particular switch shown consists of a movable arm K and three fixed contacts 7.: any one of which may be engaged by said arm, which has a permanent trolley connection T. The middle contact 7c is permanently connected to the controller of the car (not shown) and also to one terminal of each of said magnetic coils, and the other terminals of said coils are respectively connected to the contacts 7t 75 hen the arm K is in its middle or normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, there is a direct circuit from the trolley to the controller; but if the said arm is moved to engage either of the,contaets L or 75 the corresponding magnet-coil is connected in circuit between the trolley and controller. The arm is of sufficient breadth to engage the contact 7i; or k before it entirely leaves the contact 75, so that the trolley-circuit is not opened.

The operation is as follows: As the car ap proaches a branch track or turnout which it is to take the motorman moves the arm K either to the right or left, according to the direction the car is to turn. This energizes the corresponding magnet, which acts upon the rotary base and tends to give it a slight rotary movement. Until the plate F is reached, however, this movement is resisted by the engagement of the grooved trolleywheel with the main conductor G under the pressure of the trolley-spring. As soon, however, as the wheel enters the throat of the plate F it isrelieved from engagement with said conductor and the pole and base respond to the action of the magnet, the wheel being thereby turned to the proper angle to take the branching conductor. After the car passes onto the branch track the arm K is moved back to its normal position. In case the car is to go straight ahead the switch is not operated and the rib f forms a guide for the trolley-wheel.

It is obvious that various forms of switches may be employed instead of that shown and that such switches may be arranged to be operated either by the hand or the foot of the motorman.

Fig. 8 shows means for effecting the same operation wholly by mechanical means, consisting of cords or cables P, connected to the end portions of the bracket A and passing around pulleys 1), and then down within reach of the motorman, their free end portions being provided. with suitable handles P.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular cease? construction and arrangement of parts which I have herein shown and described, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. In an electric railway, the combination with a main track, a branch track or turnout, a main conductor, a branch conductor, and a connection between the main and branch conductors arranged to permit angular lateral movement of a trolley-wheel, of a car having a pivotal trolley-base, a trolley pole and wheel carried by said base, and means under the control of the motorman of the car for effecting a limited rotary movement of said base, whereby the wheel maybe caused to move from the main to the branch condoctor.

2. In an electric railway, the combination with a main conductor, a branch conductor and a plate connecting said conductors, and forming a short section of the main conductor, said plate having guides for the trolleywheel arranged to permit angular movement of said wheel, of a car having a rotary trolley-base, and means for effecting a slight rotation of said base at the will of the motorman, whereby the angular position of the wheel may be changed to enable it to pass from one conductor to another.

8. The combination with a trolley pole and wheel, and a pivoted base to which said pole is attached, of an electromagnet arranged to act upon said base to eifect a rotary movement thereof, and means for controlling the said magnet.

4-. The combination with a trolley pole and wheel, and a pivotal base to which said pole is attached, of electromagnets upon opposite sides of the pivot of the base, and means for energizing each of said magnets separately.

5. The combination of a pivotal trolleybase, of electromagnets arranged to exert opposite rotative action on said base, and a switch for controlling the said magnets.

6. In an electric railway, the combination with a main track, a branch track, a main overhead conductor, and a branching conductor, a plate connecting said conductors and forming a section thereof, said plate having a throat or guide in which is a trolley which may have lateral movement, of a car having a rotary trolley-base, a pole carried by said base, and an electro magnet or magnets arranged to exert a relative action on said base, together with means for controlling the excitation of said magnets.

In testimonywhereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. GARRETT.

Witnesses:

CORA G. COX, II. W. SMITH. 

